I am an oncology patient at Great Falls Clinic. I live in the hi-line area, which means my round trip commute for cancer care is 120 miles. I received my diagnosis around January 15, 2021 when I was 63 years old. My treatment began around March 1, 2021 and ended April 9, 2021. I then had a follow-up surgery at about 6 weeks at a place that does Esophagectomies. The oncologists at the Great Falls Clinic helped us navigate the decision making process. I cannot say enough about the efficient and courteous support staff in the Oncology Department. My follow up appointments were scheduled before I left the Clinic, which was very convenient for me.
Traveling was a chore. Fortunately, I had a supportive family to help with driving. We stayed in Great Falls at motels on six different nights during the two months I had of chemo and radiation. Two times we stayed in a motel due to the roads being bad, and the other four times were due to early morning appointments. Thankfully, my family travels often and had motel vouchers that they shared with us.
During my treatment, we watched the housing unit being built for patients who travel to Great Falls for treatment. It was fun to watch the daily construction progress. I understand it will open soon. This facility will be a great support for future patients. We were offered a reduced rate at a local motel through the Great Falls Clinic during treatment since the housing facility was not available. It would have been nice to have somewhere close to where my doctors were, and I am happy for future patients of the Great Falls Clinic.
